THE MORAL OF THE STORY:God specializes in giving us fresh starts

“New beginnings are God’s specialty. He is the author of life, who delights in giving his children clean, white pages.”

— UNKNOWN

Right after the beginning of the new year, a friend and I e-mailed back and forth to catch up on each other’s lives. We hadn’t communicated very much for months so we had quite a bit to share.

She is a friend I feel closely connected to, even though we don’t write often; we talk even less and sometimes more than a year goes by in between hugs and face-to-face conversation. But we feel that God brought us together more than 20 years ago, and we know our love and friendship will stay strong in the years to come. When we talk, we may or may not touch on what has gone on around us, but we focus instead on what has gone on within our hearts and what God has been teaching us.

I ended my first e-mail to her this year with the phrase, “Happy Newness to you.” In her return e-mail, she said how much she liked those words, which actually came to me on a morning walk when I thanked God for a new day and a new year. As I gazed out at the view that was crystal clear after being swept clean by the wind, I felt as if he whispered to me that he specializes in new beginnings and fresh starts every day.

Then I began to sing the hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” I especially love the line, “Morning by morning, new mercies I see,” because God does bring new mercies and new beginnings every morning.

I looked up the hymn and learned that writer Thomas Chisholm had fragile health and a life filled with disappointments. Yet, even when he was 75, he said, “I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God, and that he has given me many wonderful displays of his providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

Read some of the words to be reminded of how God’s faithfulness is continually displayed.

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me….

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.

Blessings all mine, with then thousand beside!

Yes, indeed, God is ever faithful, and he offers new mercies and new beginnings every day. Happy newness to you!

And you can quote me on that.